Chemical and Biochemical Techniques and Applications in Marine Sciences

Code:

RM11

Acronym:

TAQBCM

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Marine Sciences

Instance: 2019/2020 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Chemistry
Course/CS Responsible:	Master Degree in Marine Sciences - Marine Resources

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MCMRM	4	Oficial Plan 2018	1	-	5	50	135

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The objectives of this course are: to acquire theoretical and specially practical knowlege of several laboratory techniques used in determining chemical and biochemical parameters that indicate the quality of the marine environment and above all enable the monitorization of its components, the water, sediments and living organisms.
Particular knowlege on sampling, handling and sample storage before analysis are part of the learning of this course.

Pollutants are some of the agents that may cause changes in this ecossystem and will receive special attention.
The fundamentals of the analytical techniques, most appropriate for the analysis under study, as well as the presentation of results validated by quality criteria are included in the course programme.

Learning outcomes and competences

This course should enable the student to apply the acquired knowlege in formulating environmental problems caused by natural phenomena or anthropogenic activities that may negatively affect the normal functioning of the marine ecosystems.
Defining a strategy to demonstrate and evaluate the extension of the environmental problem and eventually suggest measures to mitigate it.
From the practical point of view, the student should be able to produce reports of results having in mind the errors and uncertainties of the measurements performed.

Working method

Presencial

Program

1. Chemical analysis 1.1 Spectrophotometric methods 1.2 Chromatography 1.2.1 Gas chromatography 1.2.2 Calibration and quantification 1.3 Atomic absorption spectrometry 1.3.1 Calibration and quantification
2. Biochemical analysis: protein expression and activity 2.1 Electrophoresis 2.1.1 Sample preparation, diferential centrifugation 2.1.2 Protein quantification 2.1.3. Sample application and eletrophoretic run 2.1.4 Coloring and visualization of proteins 2.1.5 Calculation of molecular weights 2.2 Immunoblotting transfer 2.2.1 Membrane blockage with antybody 2.3 Revelation by imunofluorescence 2.4 Enzymatic activity quantification in tissues exposed to pollutants. 3. Quantification of acetylcholinesterase activity in different tissues 3.1 tissue preparation 3.2 Reaction kinetics with the substrate 3.3 Calculation of the enzymatic activity inhibition in tissues exposed to pollutants

Mandatory literature

Baird C., Cann M.; Environmental Chemistry, W.H. Freeman and Company, 5 th ed., 2012
Skoog D. A., Holler, F. J., Crouch S.S. R.; Principles of Instrumental Analysis, Brooks Cole Publisher 6th ed,, 2006
Harris D. C. ; Quantitative Chemical Analysis, W.H. Freeman and Company, 6th ed., 2003

Teaching methods and learning activities

Theoretical and laboratory sessions. The theoretical sessions include a brief presentation of the techniques and instruments to be used showing examples and explaining how to obtain the final result. During the laboratory sessions the students apply the analytycal techniques to real samples and produce a report to hand in one week later to be scored.

Type of evaluation: distributed without final exam 


Formula Evaluation: The final score (C.F.) will be the average of the reports score (N.R.P.) and the score of a written assay, that must be presented orally (T.S.), according to the formula: C.F. = (N.R.P. + T.S. )/2. The reports score will be the mean of the scores of the laboratory reports.

keywords

Natural sciences > Environmental science

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Trabalho escrito	50,00
Trabalho laboratorial	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	10,00
Elaboração de relatório/dissertação/tese	25,00
Estudo autónomo	20,00
Frequência das aulas	50,00
Trabalho escrito	20,00
Trabalho laboratorial	10,00
Total:	135,00

Eligibility for exams

The students should attend at least 75% of the laboratory sessions and hand in the respective reports.

Calculation formula of final grade

The final score (C.F.) will be the weighted mean of the pratical reports score (N.R.P.) and  the score of an assay (TS), that has to be presented orally, according to the formula:  
C.F. = (N.R.P. x 0,50 + T.S. x 0,50).

The score of the pratical reports will be the average of the individual scores of the laboratory reports.

Classification improvement

Can be obtained doing a written exam.